Etta Marcus voices negative, darker emotions in new song ‘Death Grips’.
Etta Marcus is a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from London who has taken 2024 by storm with the release of her mini-album, ‘The Death of Summer and Other Promises’. Clearly, there is no sign of slowing for her. On June 12th, she released her new single, ‘Death Grips’: a song which resembles a lullaby in the sense that the vocals and melody are delicate and angelic, but if you really listen to the lyrics, you will uncover the more sinister, unsettling meaning.
‘Death Grips’ explores Marcus’ feelings of anger and frustration at the ending of both teenagehood and her first relationship. She stated that she was “mourning the loss of both these things, I felt stripped of identity, frustrated and suffocated like most teenagers do. The drama of it all took shape in the form of this song”.
These grievances seem to be all-consuming with thoughts of acts of violence and revenge. However, intense rage has never been portrayed so beautifully. ‘Death Grips’ doesn't express anger through loud, growling vocals or crashing drums, but instead it’s disguised by Marcus’ melancholic and soft vocals and the slow-paced, comforting features of both Americana and shoegaze music. The guitar and piano that accompanies the song are dreamy and mellow– starkly different from Marcus’ fury-filled lyrics: ‘Lately, in all my dreams I am watching / You in a burning apartment / Blow you a kiss and I lock you in’.
In this song, she gives voice to the negative, darker emotions that are usually repressed: ‘When you touch my hair / I wanna rip your hand off’. Etta Marcus’ lyrical style is raw and honest, even when it comes to emotions that are uncomfortable to sit with. Her lyricism has been compared to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Mitski, two artists whose lyrics are known for being poignant and completely candid.
Despite all that 2024 has brought Etta Marcus so far, this is no doubt only the beginning for this singer-songwriter and her honest, thought-filled tracks.